


A new start

by Nishikoya



Category: Heroes of the Storm (Video Game), StarCraft (Video Games)
Genre: Alcohol, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Other, Partying, References to Depression
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2019-08-28 10:55:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16721988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nishikoya/pseuds/Nishikoya
Summary: A series of short stories about Starcraft characters and how they interact in the Heroes of the Storm setting.First will be about Kerrigan and Zagara.





	1. Zerg

The first thing that the Queen of the zerg noticed in the Nexus, was the silence. Not from around her, she was surrounded by humans, protoss and other strange creatures. But from inside her mind. There was no sound from her swarm, not even a growl of a single zergling. She was confused, vulnerable and terribly alone.

Still sitting on the ground, she saw some known faces. Raynor, Tassadar, Zeratul...But she was certain she would not have any kindness coming from the former allies. Kerrigan did not blame them, she deserved.

A small blonde woman tried to reach her. "Excuse me, my dear. Are you alright?" She asked.

The queen did not answer.

"I am Chromie, would you tell me your name?" She tried again, while starting to move closer. Kerrigan raised her back blades in a defense instance. "Please, I will not hurt you."

"She is the Queen of Blades" A well know voice answered. Raynor. But Kerrigan chose to not face him.

"So I guess she is the zerg from your dimension." Chromie said.

"Where I am?" The Queen finally asked.

"You are in the Nexus. It's a place various dimensions touch and coexist together. You, just like everyone else here, were summoned to this place."

"It was you who summoned here?" Kerrigan questioned.

"No, no." The blonde laughed. "I do not have the power to do so."

"So, Who does?" 

"It's a difficult question to answer. But come with me. I will explain how things work around here."

Finally Kerrigan got the strength to stand up. She followed Chromie, while the group of curious heroes dispersed. The small woman quickly started talking about battlegrounds, troops, heroes. However the zerg queen couldn't follow her intense blabbering, she felt intensely tired.

"And this is called the Braxis. The other heroes of your dimension choose to reside here."

"I sense zerg here. But I can't control them..."

"Yes, they are in their dens. They belong to the battlefield. Do you wish to stay here too?"  
The queen looked at the familiar scenery. A terran platform, she could see a protoss and a terran buildings, maybe where Raynor and the protoss lived. The presence of the zerg, even if she could not control them, felt a little bit comforting.

"Yes. I will reside here."

As soon as she said that, a hatchery appeared in a extremity of the platform. She ran towards it. However, as soon as she reached it she noticed something was off. The hatchery was sterile, it did not produce any larvae. She could not hide her disappointment when entering the warm and alive structure.

Its internal design was completely different from a normal hatchery. There was no eggs, no queen taking care of the larvae or the usual clatter of the drones. 

She sat on the border of a big spawning pool that was in the middle of the hatchery, and faced the floor. Chromie couldn't help but pity Kerrigan. She walked towards the queen, put a hand on her knee and gave her a warm look.

"I heard your kind is incredible. I am sure more of them will be summoned. You won't be alone for long."

Kerrigan nodded. 

"Do you want me to make you company for today?"

"No. I am fine. I just need to rest for a moment." The queen answered sadly.

"I will leave you for now. But if you need me, I'll be at the Dragon Shire." Chromie said while leaving.

Kerrigan slowly entered the spawning pool, letting her tiredness take over her body.  


* * *

The days of the Queen of Blades on the Nexus were nothing special. When she was not summoned for a battle, she would just be alone in her hatchery. She did not had the will to leave and interact with the others heroes.

She would just sleep and brood in her home.  
In one night Kerrigan was awaken by a presence in her mind. It was minion she knew well, and it was in distress.

It desperately called for the Swarm aid.  
Kerrigan ran out of her hatchery towards the Heroes Hall. There was already the usual circle of curious heroes eager to see the new creature to be summoned. She found the zerg rooted by Malfurion's vines.

"Zagara!" Kerrigan called.

"My queen!" The broodmother cried out.

"Let her go in this moment." The queen demanded.

"I am deeply sorry, Kerrigan. She was attacking everyone as soon as she appeared here." Chromie said.

"She was scared. She won't attack anyone now. Release her!" Kerrigan said.

As soon as the vines released Zagara, all of the broodmother's six legs gave up and her enormous abdomen collapsed on the ground. Kerrigan rushed to her.

"My queen. I can't feel my brood! I can't feel the Swarm! What is happening?" Her voice sounded terrified.

Kerrigan could feel Zagara's pain, and the smell of the distress pheromone the broodmother released. Zerg couldn't cry, but everyone present could see the broodmother's despair.

"My children needs me! A brood without its broodmother hungers and dies. Zerg can not survive alone. I cannot be alone. I have to go back!"

Kerrigan stood on the tip of her toes and put her hands on the broodmother face. Forcing Zagara to face her. 

"You are not alone, Zagara. Your queen is here. The Swarm need you here. I need you here. Do you hear me?" Kerrigan said while facing directly Zagara's orange eyes.

"I... I do, my queen." She complied, but she still was fazed. 

"Get up, we're going home, ok?" Kerrigan hold Zagara's claws to guide the broodmother.

"I still need to explain to her the rules of this place." Chromie the zerg queen.

"Not now." Kerrigan answered. "Even if you do, she won't listen. I won't let her get into trouble. Tomorrow you can talk to her"  
Without waiting for an answer, Kerrigan guided Zagara to their hatchery.

"You can feel zerg near by, but we cannot control them. It's going to be just the two of us for now." She turned around to face Zagara, the broodmother looked sadly at the empty hatchery. " Do you sleep, don't you?"

"Yes, my queen. Abathur's modifications made me smarter, but also brought me the nuisance of having to sleep every day."

"So we will sleep for now, tomorrow things will be... easier. I promise."

The queen entered the spawning pool while Zagara leaned against one of the walls to rest. To Kerrigan, it seemed extremely uncomfortable.

"There is plenty of space, you can sleep here, Zagara."

The broodmother quietly crawled into the pool, her body sinking into the enzymatic liquid. The zerg leaned her face against the border of the pool. Through her mind, Kerrigan could feel that Zagara was calmer, but deeply sad. The queen asked herself if she was that pitiful when she arrived. Probably not.

Essentially, Kerrigan was an infested terran, she was used to be alone in her mind and even if she was the leader of the Swarm, she nurtured little love for her minions. Zagara was different. She was completely zerg, born and raised into the Swarm with the sole purpose of leading and caring for her brood, thinking of them like her own cubs. 

With that thought in mind she swam towards the broodmother, resting her head against her insectoid abdomen. Somehow, cuddling with Zagara felt comforting. For the first time, that silent and empty hatchery felt like a home.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Kerrigan woke up feeling well rested. A feeling she did not experience for a long time. She looked up and found Zagara immobile, but awake.

"Did you wake up long ago?" Kerrigan asked.

"Just a couple of hours." The broodmother answered.

"You could have woke me up." The queen stated.

"I wouldn't dare to disturb your peaceful sleep, my queen." She said like it was obvious.

Kerrigan chuckled. Who knew that a wretched zerg abomination like Zagara could be adorable. The queen stood up and left the spawning pool towards the exit of the hatchery.

"Are you leaving?" Zagara asked exasperated.

"Yes, I will soon be summoned into the battlefield." Kerrigan answered emotionless.

"If you are going to battle, I shall accompany you."

"You can't. You still need to learn the rules of the Nexus. Stay here for now."

"I do not want to be alone..." She said sadly.

"I will be back soon." Kerrigan couldn't help but pity the broodmother.

Suddenly they heard someone clapping from the outside.

"Kerrigan! May I come in?" Chromie asked.

"Sure" The queen answered.

The blonde woman entered the hatchery. Kerrigan was quite surprised by how unfazed she was upon stepping into a hatchery.

"Hello there! Your name is Zagara, right? I am Chromie. I noticed both of you weren't in the Heroes Hall this morning so I came here."

"Chromie will explain how things work in this dimension." Kerrigan stated.

"After she explain things to me I can go to the battlefield with you?" Zagara asked.

Kerrigan looked at Chromie waiting for an answer. "Well, she still can have some days of rest. But if she wants to fight..." Chromie started.

"Good! Teach me things, tiny terran creature!" Zagara said happily.

"Well, you were summoned to the nexus from your dimension..."

"Another dimension? Are we in the void?" Zagara asked.

The tiny blonde faced Kerrigan with an expression of someone looking for help.

"It's going to be a long morning." The queen thought.

* * *

 

Zagara closed her eyes because of the sudden light. Then, she felt the stone under her feet and the cold breeze on her carapace, she opened her eyes and saw the dark forest that surrounded their base. It was the first time she was at a battlefield in the Nexus.

Normally, the heroes would be nervous on their first battle, but not her. Zagara was overjoyed, her queen was by her side and her brood would come to fight with her. She happily tapped her front legs on the floor in anticipation.

"You seem a lot better today." Said one of her companions. " That is fortunate."

Zagara turned around to face Malfurion.

"I hope you are not mad with me for restraining you yesterday." He continued.

"No. I understand it was necessary. I was out of control." She answered.

While Malfurion excused himself and left, Zagara noticed another creature glaring at her. It was a enormous insectoid monster, not much different from her, he weirdly looked her head to toes. The broodmother felt a shiver down her spine.

"My queen?" Zagara leaned to Kerrigan's side to talk only to her.

"Yes?" The queen answered.

"That creature is glaring. I believe it want to attack me." She explained while pointing her claw to the insect.

"If he is on our team he cannot hurt us. Just ignore him." She said while walking towards the middle gate. "Zagara, you will go with Anu'barak to the top lane and try to advance as much as possible while we hold our foes here."

Zagara did not want to leave her queen side, but the glare she gave her meant that was a matter of no discussion. So the brood mother slowly crawled towards her position.

"Zagara, if you are going to walk everywhere, it will take ages. Get your mount." Kerrigan advised.

The broodmother summoned the little panel as Chromie instructed and selected her mount.

" I got wings! Like the ancient queens! And Abathur said that they would be useless in a broodmother." She hissed happily.

Kerrigan saw her enthusiasm while hovering towards Anu'barak side. She playfully twitched her legs in the air, her joy was only interrupted by her companion.

"Nice legs." The fallen king blurted.

Zagara looked back to her queen wide eyed, searching for reassurance.

"It's fine. He does not mean harm." Kerrigan assured.

Zagara faced the insect monster before her and answered him. "You creep!"

* * *

 

Long into the match Kerrigan was wandering through the forest, with Raynor. It was always awkward to have him around. He hated her, she knew that. But oddly enough today he was looking her in the eyes, watched her move, like he was searching for something.

"You seem different." He stated while they walked. "I noticed how you talked with your critter yesterday. Like you cared."

Kerrigan maintained herself in silence. She noticed what he was searching.

"You're still there, aren't you darling? Maybe crooked and weird, but I like to believe that the old Sarah is still there."

She turned herself to face her old friend, lover and enemy. She opened her mouth, searching for the words.

They were interrupted by a loud noise that came from the woods. Kerrigan ran to its direction Raynor followed her. Was it a team fight?

She found Zagara capturing the area of the nearly defeated mercenaries. Two of the tiniest roaches Kerrigan ever saw were by the broodmother side.

"Zagara, what are you doing here? You should be at the lane."

"I was there, but I found Anu'barak behavior... unsettling. I don't understand what he wants with me."

Suddenly, a bush behind the broodmother moved, Kerrigan and Zagara got in attack position, Raynor raised his rifle. Anu'barak emerged from it .

"What? How did you find me?" Zagara hissed loudly at the giant insect. "Get out of here before I collect your essence!"

"Oooh. Kinky!" He answered happily disappearing back into the bush.

Raynor tried the best he could not to laugh. But ended up failing.

"What is so funny, terran?" The broodmother asked in an irritated tone.

"He wants you to be his darling, Zag."

Zagara had no idea of what he meant with that, and faced her queen expecting her to translate his nonsense.

"What Raynor meant is that he believe Anu'barak wants you to be his mate." Kerrigan explained.

"Ridiculous. Zerg need no mates. And even if we did our genitalia would me incompatible." Zagara explained annoyed.

Kerrigan saw Raynor bit his lip not to laugh again. She forgot how he was prone to laugh at silly things. He took a deep breath to compose himself.

"So go and tell him that." Raynor instructed.

"I will do so." Zagara answered, getting into the bush after Anu'barak.


	3. Chapter 3

Zagara got to the hatchery before Kerrigan. She wanted to fight more, but seemed she was not going to be summoned anymore for the day.

There was some things that were bugging the broodmother's mind. She walked towards the dens of the Braxis and tried to control some of the zerg. As her queen said, they would ignore her commands and peacefully stay in their positions. Frustrated, Zagara shifted her attention to another problem, the sterile hatchery.

She never saw something like that. Even in the lack of resources the hatcheries still would spawn larvae. Kerrigan told the broodmother that she tried everything she knew to fix the structure, even changes in its sequence, but without success. Zagara knew her abilities in spinning sequences were way inferior to her queen's, so she would try something that Kerrigan could not.

Basically, a broodmother was a modified Swarm queen. Bigger, stronger, smarter and with more control over her minions, in expense of hindering her transfusion and reproduction abilities.

It was a long time since Zagara spawned larvae, but she still knew how to do it. She injected the enzymes into the hatchery and waited. The structure seemed to respond and she felt it movement underneath its skin, but no larvae was to be seen. She tried again, expelling the enzymatic fluid as much as she could again with no response. Annoyed, Zagara tapped her back legs on the floor .

Then, she noticed another flaw of her home. The creep spread was all wrong. Too thin on some parts and too thick on others. Whatever was done to make the hatchery sterile, made its creep production inefficient. Zagara laid some creep tumors to try to even it, but made it look and feel all patchy. The broodmother relaxed her back legs and sat on the creep to think.

Her thinking was interrupted by a curious visitor.  
"Hello again, Zagara! Feeling better?" Chromie asked in her squeaky voice.

Zagara got up and trotted toward the blonde and bended her front legs to lower herself.

"Chromie. What are you doing here?" Zagara said curiously.

"Uther and I are helping heroes that struggle in adapt in the Nexus. I was but worried about you, so I came to visit."

"I understand... But there is no need to worry about me. I am zerg, adaptation is our way of existing."

"That's reassuring. But I noticed you were a bit concerned before".

"Yes. This hatchery is sterile, we can't build our swarm like this. And look at this creep! It's all uneven it's unpleasant to walk in." The zerg complained.

Zagara watched while Chromie crouched down and touched the viscous substance, then she tried to spread it on the floor with an open palm.

"I cannot help with the larvae problem. It was probably made this way on purpose. However, the creep... I think I may have the solution for that!" She exclaimed and disappeared into a flash of golden sand.

* * *

 

It was already evening when Kerrigan went back home. She was greeted by one of the weirdest visions she ever had: Zagara dressing a purple frilly apron and happily spreading creep with a mop at the entrance of the hatchery.

"Is that a skin? No, they wouldn't do something so ridiculous." Kerrigan thought. But then she remembered her cheerleader skin and concluded that the frilly apron could indeed be a skin.

Upon seeing Kerrigan, Zagara put her claws together in front of her body in her servant position.

"Care to explain?" Kerrigan inquired.

"I just finished resolving the creep spreading problem, my queen." Zagara reported enthusiastically.

"Okay... But where did you get these?" The queen pointed to the terran objects.

"Chromie gave them to me. She told me they were terran tools that could help me. I understood the use of this cleaning stick but I am still uncertain of the utility of this thing." The broodmother pointed to the apron.

"I think it's better if you do not use that one... ever." Kerrigan answered concerned. "I am surprised that you accepted these tools. I remember you saying that it wasn't the zerg way of doing things."

"In our current situation, I would not refuse any solution presented to me because of pride." Zagara explained.

"You did well." Kerrigan stated warmly.

They entered the hatchery and Kerrigan thrown herself into the spawning pool. She swam towards the border and watched the broodmother neatly hang her tools on some spines on the hatchery wall.

"So... did you have fun today?" The queen asked.

"I guess that is the feeling..." Zagara answered thoughtfully. "I met lot of different creatures today. It was satisfying to tear them apart and destroy their buildings. I just think it's a shame that I could not fight any protoss. "

"We will have a lot of other opportunities to do so. If we are together, I will make sure you hunt them down as much you want." Kerrigan promised.

Zagara happily tapped her front paws on the ground before entering the pool. She leaned on the border while her queen snuggled on her abdomen.

* * *

 

Zagara was happy. Her everyday life was calmer and quieter than usual, but she was getting used to it.

The brood of two would wake up in the morning and while Kerrigan visited the Heroes Hall, Zagara would spread the creep around the hatchery. Then, they would train until they were summoned to battle. At night Kerrigan would walk her broodmother through some realms before going to sleep.

Sometimes the queen would bring home some exquisite human food. Especially sweets and pastries. Today she brought a strawberry pie. Zagara did not understand why her queen was so found of those essenceless food, but they made her queen happy and that is all that mattered. They were seating on the creep, Kerrigan was eating while leaning on the broodmother abdomen.

"...And after that everything became more and more complicated. I thought he hated me, but now he tries to approach me every time he sees me. I don't understand Raynor anymore." Kerrigan blurted.

"Maybe it's human mating season." The broodmother guessed.

"Humans don't have mating seasons, Zagara."

"You are the Queen of Blades. Your will is incontestable. Why are you hiding from a single human?"

"I am not hiding!" The queen retorted while cleaning a crumb of pie off her chin.

"You have been avoiding him since my first battle..." Zagara commented.

"I just don't have the answers he wants, so I don't have any reason to meet him." She answered nonchalantly. Then, she looked at the broodmother smugly.  "You know, he told me something funny that day. That when you left to talk with Anu'barak, you came back almost immediately and rushed inside a Nydus worm. What happened there?"

Zagara growled as if unwilling to answer, but she knew she had to answer her queen.

"I went after Anu'barak to the lane. When I got there he was digging up a nest and filling it up with troops. It was just too weird for me."

Kerrigan was surprised to know that ever zerg had weirdness limits. "Well, I can't judge. I would do the same in your place."

Suddenly, the queen stood up. She felt another presence in her mind. Another of her subjects. She looked at her broodmother, she knew Zagara was also feeling him.

"Is that truly him? Why is he here? Abathur is no warrior. " Kerrigan thought.

Then, they felt the hatchery walls trembling and squirming. The two of them rushed out of the structure. They have seen that hundreds of times, their hatchery was evolving into a lair.

"Zagara, stay here and inform me if anything changes. I will go to the Heroes Hall to get him." Kerrigan said while running away.

Abathur was surrounded by the curious heroes. He simply looked around and appraised silently all the different essences he was seeing while rubbing his hands on his particular and creepy way.

Brightwing fled in circles around the zerg.

"Big slug. Is it yummy? Wanna bite, but it's too big." She pondered. Then landed on its head.

"Good thing you arrived, Kerrigan. I suppose he is one of your kind. Right? Can he talk? I tried talking to him but he does not answer." Chromie said when spotted the queen among the other heroes.

Kerrigan walked through the crowd to face her minion. As soon as he saw her, he finally talked.

"Organism Abathur will serve Queen of Blades. " He stated on his deep voice.

Brightwing screamed and fled away.

"Scary voice!" She said from behind Sylvanas. "Things like you should not talk!" She hissed at the zerg.

"Can I talk to him today? He does not seem to be in shock." Chromie added.

"We can try, but I don't know if he will understand... or care." Kerrigan answered honestly.

Chromie went with her usual procedure, talking about the Nexus and the battlefields. But Kerrigan knew Abathur had no interest in what she was saying. He was only thinking how he could add dragon essence to the Swarm.

* * *

 

When they finally went home, Zagara was still waiting at the entrance of the now Lair.

"Still no larvae." She reported.

Kerrigan sighed. At least their house got bigger.

"Fix this lair." She ordered Abathur.

"All organic processes functional. No errors within the structure." The slug answered gesticulating with his claws.

The zerg queen already waited this answer. She looked at the hatchery sequences herself.

"Maybe there is no way of building our forces in this realm." Kerrigan thought while entering the now bigger spawning pool. Zagara went to her place to sleep and be her queen live pillow.

While getting comfortable the queen saw the small green eyes of Abathur flickering in the dark.

"Abathur, do you sleep?" Kerrigan asked.

"No. Use only half the brain activity at time. Complete rest waste time." He answered.

"So you are going to stay the whole night there, looking at us."

"Yes."

Kerrigan was not comfortable with the idea of having Abathur watching her sleep. "No. That won't do. Bury yourself on the ground or turn to a wall."

He complied burrowing without question.


	4. Terran

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now we follow our favorite space cowboy, while he makes even more unusual friends across the Nexus.

Raynor woke up unusually early, he grabbed his  clock from the nightstand and cancelled the alarm that would ring three hours later.

But Jim did not leave his bed. He curled up in his bedsheets, trying to sleep again. He rolled in his bed for a long time, with no luck. Only to give up when he heard the clatter of plates and pots coming from the kitchen.

He left his bed and put his pants. When he got to the kitchen, he saw Sgt. Hammer already dressed in her uniform and cooking.

"Good morning, sleepy head! Did you had ants on your bed to make you wake up this early?" She asked humorously while pouring some eggs on a frying pan.

"No. I just slept badly. Do you want me to make us something? Preferably something that I can't burn." He answered with a grin.

The woman laughed. "Make some coffee for us then, Captain."

Raynor got the coffee grinder and the coffee grounds on the kitchen cabinet.

"Where is Morales? She normally wakes even earlier than you." He started.

"She is out, getting some fruits. You know the woman. Always wanting to make us eat healthily and stuff." She said while gesticuling with a spatula.

"I gave up on that long ago." Answered the medic that just entered the kitchen with a bag of fresh fruits. "Even if you guys ate the recommended 6 portions of fruit per day, it's not like it would make a difference with all the alcohol and cigars that you consume."

"Can't deny that." Raynor chuckled.

"It's not like we are that bad, Doc." Hammer

"When was the last time you ate a fruit?" Morales asked skeptically.

"Well, I just had lemon yesterday" the Sgt commented.

"With tequila."  The Lieutenant retorted while  putting the bag of fruits to the sink count.

"Still was a fruit." The sargent stated.

Morales rolled her eyes while cutting some bananas.

"Ok. Ok. If there's something that I learned in this life is not to upset the Medic of your squad. I promise to eat fruits and not make my coffee Irish in the morning." Raynor intervened.

"Well, it's a start. Will you also stop taking that flask of God knows what everywhere you go like a damn alcoholic?"

"Nope. You never know when you might need some whiskey."

"I can't think of one situation I would."

"Since we'll eat together." Hammer interrupted while heading to the corridor "I am going to wake up the big guy. So we can all have breakfast and discuss like a cute little family."

They heard she knock hard on the metal door of Tychus bedroom and talking to him in the most low and delicate way a siege tank driver could: "Hey, man! We're having breakfest now! Do you want it or will you get any crap to eat later?"

Faster than Raynor thought it could be possible, Tychus was already at the kitchen.

"Man, that's a lot of grass on the menu today." He stated.

"Doctor's orders, Tychus. We're all eating healthy for today." Raynor stated in a fake serious tone.

"If the Doc said so, who am I to say no." The convict said while sweeping the plate with the bananas that was in front of Morales and giving her a wink.

The medic looked at him with -What the hell was that supposed to mean?- written all over her face.

Upon seeing this, Raynor pressed his lips until they were a fine line, doing his best not to laugh. Hammer simply hide her face under the table, covering her mouth with a hand. The commander took a deep breath.

"So...Did you arranged the list I asked for tonight's party?"

"What you think of me, man? Made it ages ago. Best booze I could think of. I even made a research to meet our xeno friends taste." Hammer answered happily.

"Are you really inviting the protoss again?" Tychus complained.

"Of course! This is a welcoming party to my best protoss friend, they have to come!" Raynor retorted.

"I always thought they were boring as fuck, but they are super cool when drunk." Hammer blurted.

"I like them. They are very polite and do not throw a fit when I try to put IV on them. Unlike some people..." Morales commented and sipped her coffee.

" It was just one time, Doc. Promise I'll be good next time."

"Or I will sedate you." She answered.

* * *

  
"Telling you partner, one week and she is mine. If I don't score with her tonight." Tychus started.

"Whatever you say, man." Raynor answered. " I just don't understand why did you went for her off all people."

They both walked through the Heroes Hall, trying to grab every alcoholic beverage disponible.

"Everyone is into something. I have a thing for medics, you have for zerg chicks." Tychus started.

"You know I was with her before she was made zerg." Raynor retorted. "I don't have an alien kink."

His kink was cheerleader outfits. It was really awkward when he saw the Queen of Blades in one of those. Raynor prayed that she could not read his mind on that realm. Or that anyone could hear him now. He almost jumped out of the skin when he heard his name.

"Mr. Raynor! Would you come here please?"  Jaina Proudmoore called for him.

"Of course, darling. What do you need me for?" Jim walked towards her. 

"I am trying to help this creature." She opened the pastry shop door and asked "What are you again?" 

"I am a zerg broodmother!" Zagara's voice came from inside.

Raynor couldn't imagine what could make a zerg go buy sweets. So, he accompanied the mage into the shop. The giant insectoid alien was completely out of place in that frilly pink pastel room. 

" Hey, Zag. What are you doing here?" Jim asked.

"I am trying to find a certain terran food. But they all seems the same to me." Zagara answered.

"I did not know zerg liked sweets." 

"We don't. Zerg do not feel sweetness." The the broodmother answered. 

"Oook... So what are you looking for?" Jim asked.

"I do not know it's name.

"What does it taste like?"

"Essenceless." She answered with conviction.

"And that was where we stuck." Jaina told Raynor.

"How it looks like?" Jim tried again.

Zagara stopped for a moment. One of her claws poking that mandible thing she had by the side of her face. Raynor assumed she was trying to remember. 

"It had a triangular shape and had tree separate layers like a... rock formation." She finally answered.

"It could be a cake or a pie." Jaina said ano picked up two samples of pastries. "Here! Try both. And tell us what it feel more like what are you searching for."

Raynor pondered if she could even eat. She did not seemed to have a mouth.

His thought was answered when the broodmother looked up a bit, lifting her chin. Exposing layers of teeth and insectoid pincers.

Zagara's mouth was made of nightmares.

"I wish I could unsee this." Raynor blurted.

"It is horrifying, yet I can't look away." Jaina added.

"It was more like this one." The zerg pointed a finger to the pie.

"Zagara, tell me why do you want it if you don't like it?" Jaina asked earnestly.

"It is not for me." The broodmother answered.

"Wait, Kerrigan still eats sweets?" Jim asked.

Zagara flexed her claws annoyed.

"If you answer me. I'll tell you her favorite pie."

Zagara looked at the terran for a moment.

"Yes. But my queen never wanted terran food before we came here." Zagara's voice sounded worried. "These pies makes my queen feel at ease when she is distressed. She seem unresponsive today. That is why I came here."

Jim knew that the human Kerrigan would eat sweets when stressed or sad. Maybe he was too hopefull. But what if the nexus was turning her more human? It was a farfetched scenario but he would pay to see if it could be true.

"She liked to eat this one. It's a chocolate tart." Raynor said. 

"Chocolate tart." Zagara repeated while cautiously grabbing the plate.

"And tell her I sent this one." He said while putting a apple pie on the plate. "I don't think she will remember it, but... It doesn't hurt to try."

The zerg looked confused at him. But said nothing and left. 

"You're welcome." Jim said while she left.


	5. Chapter 5

"Damn, Jimmy! I just look away for two minutes and you're already meddling with zerg." Tychus joked while adjusting the beer barrel on his hands.

"It was a coincidence, Tychus. Jaina was the one who called me." Raynor explained

"Ooh. The ice blonde chick. Didn't know you're close."

"She is a nice girl." Raynor commented.

"Oooh. I bet she is." The marine nudged his friend with his elbow.

"Damn, Tychus. Just because I talk to her doesn't mean I am hitting on her." Jim retorted.

"Maybe you should! You spent a hella lot of time moping around because of Kerrigan. Time to forget the Zerg Queen Bitch and find a new girl. Whatcha think, huh?"

"I'm fine for now, partner."

"Fine? You have small talk with a out of world blonde beauty and you say you want nothin' with her. Man, that's the opposite of fine to me."

"No. Jaina had a dead boyfriend, that is now undead. I don't want the Lich King after my head."

"Ok, ok. Doesn't have to be her, there are a lot of good and sane girls that you know. What 'bout Hammer? You two talk a lot."

"You know she is into girls, right?" 

"She is gay?" Tychus looked earnestly surprised. "Fine. What about Valira?"

"Also gay." Jim answered.

"That girl with the funny acent?" He made an effort to remember. "Tracer!"

"Super gay."

"Nova?"

"Dominion bitch."

"I'm runnin' out of sane girls."

Raynor laughed. "It's ok, Tychus. Really."

They closed path with a completely armored figure. They did not see her before. The woman seemed a bit confused.

"Hey, darling. Are you lost? Want to find someone?" Raynor asked.

"Yes. I was at the time dragon house. But I believe I am ready to explore this realm."

Upon hearing that, Raynor knew who she was. Maiev Shadowsong. Chromie had a close eye on her, she kept the warden in her house and was slowly getting her into the Nexus setting. She said the warden had a big sense of justice and a short temper. The commander thought how to proceed.

"My name is Jim Raynor. Ex-marshal. I believe you are Maiev, right? Jim raised a hand to a greeting.

"That is correct. Did Chromie talk to you?" The female seemed more relaxed upon talking to another law enforcing figure and answered the handshake.

"Yes, she just told me you are a night elf. Just like Tyrande.."

"Tyrande is here?" The elf seemed surprised.

Raynor thought how sad it was to her not meet her fellow brethren. "Yeah. She, her husband and her brother in law." He answered happily.

"Illidan is here?!" She gasped wide eyed.

With the worst luck a night elf ever had, Illidan Stormrage was walking in their direction. Raynor saw him approaching and innocently cupped his hands around his mouth and called:

"Hey, Illidan! This chick knows you!" The terran shouted.

When the warden heard that, her head whipped to the direction Raynor looked.

"I don't think that's a good.." Tychus began.

Before Tychus could talk about his concern, she sprinted on the betrayer direction with her glaive at hand. Illidan only had time to throw his groceries on Maiev direction. She evaded and jumped on him, pinning him to the floor and stabbing him repeatedly.

"Damn, that's a lot of damage." Tychus said, passing his hand on the back of his helmet. 

Raynor could just look at the slaughter with his hands now covering his open mouth. Then, he and Tychus faced each other equally astonished.

They let her kill him, thinking it would calm her anger. But every time Illidan was brought back she would just kill him again. After Maiev mortally stabbed the man for the fourth time. Raynor interfered.

"Woah, woah. That's enough, girl." He said touching her shoulder. " You need to calm down for now,  ok?"

"Are you siding with that monster? Do you even know what he did?" She stormed at him.

"I don't. And I am not siding with him, I'm saying this because of you." He crouched by her side and continued.  "I was where you are right now. It's not worth it."

Maiev looked at the terran. 

"It is my duty to hunt him down. To keep him at his cell, so he pays for his crimes!"

"It was your duty from where you came. The Nexus doesn't care for that." Raynor said while offering his flask of whisky. "There are a lot of bad things here. But if you kill them, they just keep coming back. Believe me, don't go hunting him outside of the battlefields. It'll only poison your mind. And you sanity is you most precious asset here." 

She took the whisky and drunk like it was water. The elf gave him a empty flask and a grateful look. 

"It's better for you to return to Chromie. Talk to her. She'll help, Ok?" The commander added.  
  
While Raynor talked to the warden, Illidan appeared again some meters away from his attacker. This time he didn't even bothered to stand up. Tychus crouched down by his side.

"Rough morning, huh?" The marine started.

"Did I ever offend Raynor in any way?" Illidan asked.

"Sorry about that, man. We didn't know that she was goin' to stab you. We thought you were friends." Tychus answered honestly. "What happened? Did you not call her the next day?"

"I would never do such thing." Illidan answered annoyed.

"So, why does she hate you so much?" He asked smugly. 

"She was the warden that guarded my cell for ten thousand years." Illidan stated.

"Well, I was locked up for some pretty good time, but none of my prison wardens hated me that much. That seemed pretty personal to me." The convict added.

* * *

Even with the craziest mounts disponible on the Nexus. Jim still went for his trusty vulture. However, he would like to try a ride on some retro looking motorcycles from Earth when he had the gold for it.

He and Tychus finally made their way back to their hover vultures, strapping the boxes of all kind off booze into the back of the bikes.

"Did you called her to the party? You're crazy." Tychus started.

"She is like a pretty interesting fella." Raynor answered.

"I thought that too. Before she started stab Illidan." Tychus retorted.

"Yeah." Raynor chuckled. "But seems like she just really hate him. So it'll all go smoothly."

"As long as the purple crossfitter don't crash in our party."

"He never show up in the parties. Not when his brother and Tyrande go."

"You know... They just send in this morning, they aren't coming." Tychus informed.

"Oh sweet mother of mercy..." Raynor exclaimed. "I'm calling Chromie."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know things are going bad when you have to call a time dragon.


	6. Chapter 6

Almost the whole Nexus would be there. There would be angels, demons, orcs, elves, dragons, pandas. Damn, he even invited zerg. Stukov was infested, but he liked the guy. The terran parties where one of the rare moments everyone would forget, or at least tolerate, their differences. He never had to uninvite someone, but he also did never had someone being continuously murdered at the party.

When Raynor wiped his damp hair with a towel, Tychus apeared on his door.

"Hey, are you ready? Your new friend is here." The convict stated.

"Already?"

"Yeah. The Dragon MILF brought her." Tychus added.

"I hope you don't call her that where she can hear you." Raynor nagged, making Tychus only laugh.  
  
Alextraza and Maiev were in their usual armor and already had a glass for wine in hands. The Dragon Queen opened a broad smile upon seeing the terran rebel.

"Good evening, James Raynor. I hope this gathering will be as pleasant as the latter." The dragoness greeted.

"That's what everyone is hoping too." He said answering her smile. " But, girls. This is a casual party. Seeing you in armor is kinda disappointing."

"My scales are my armor. This form is just an illusion, I can change it to my will." With that said, Alextraza passed her hand over her body. Her armor shifted to a long red summer dress. "What do you think, human?"

"Wonderful as always." Raynor praised, dragoness laughed at his flattery. "What about you? Any magic tricks too?" He asked to Maiev.

"No." Maiev answered dryly. "This is the only garment I have."

"Not even a skin?" Raynor insisted.

"All of those are also heavy armor." She informed.

"No. That won't work." He turned back to the siege pilot that was at the bar. "Hey, Hammer! I have a girl needing some clothes for the party. Can you borrow something to her?"

"Sure. You can grab whatever she likes in my wardrobe. Who is the girl?"

"Maiev shadowsong." The warden introduced herself, taking off her helmet. "Thank you for your favor, Sargent."

Hammer and Raynor just looked at the elf wide eyed. She was gorgeous. She wasn't human, of course, but it did not meaned she was not beautifull to them. Hammer pulled Jim to the side to talk privately.

"Jim, you didn't tell me the girl was a godamn model. I don't have clothes for that level of hotness." The Sargent said.

"I don't think she minds that much, they just have to be comfortable." Raynor answered. "Ok, darling. Just come with me, we are going to find something for you."

"Anything is enough for me." She admitted while following her.

Raynor could feel that the girl had a lot going on. It wasn't much but he wanted her to have fun that night.

"No, it isn't. Go change and I'll go get some things." He said happily. "You going down heaven's devil style."

* * *

Raynor looked around the salon, it was almost empty, but people would start coming soon. Lucio had just finished to put his sound equipment to work, now he played a nice warming sound, setting the mood for the guests.

Jim sat at the bar and got some whisky, this time he had company.The night elf was stunning, well at least to his perspective. He lended a leather jacket to her and Hammer got her all in terran style. Now she looked like a stylish merc, the type Mira Han would like to hire.

"Do your people like this kind of look?" The warden asked.

"If you didn't like, you can change back." Raynor admitted. "I think it looks awesome. But you were beautiful to begin with. The night elves guys must make a fuss about you back at home."

"No, they don't." Maiev answered. "I have quite a bad reputation."

"Yeah, you seems like a bad girl type." He joked.

Maiev laughed earnestly for the first time and raised her glass. "This is the first time someone told me that with a good meaning."

By their side, Ana and Stukov appreciated a red wine. The admiral was using a skin that hided his face under a mask. A sensible choice. Fenix could be quite unhappy to see zerg at his party.

"I was quite surprised that you invited me for a drink." Stukov told the lady.

"You get surprised so easily." Ana answered. "What is so unexpected in asking a such a fine man to make me company?"

Raynor chuckled at his drink when he saw Stukov getting shy.

"Damn, the old lady has game." Jim commented to the woman in front of him. 

"I need to ask you this." Maiev started. "Why are you helping me?" 

"I told you before. I know where you are right now." He answered. "I almost lost myself to rage."

"You are talking about what happened earlier, about Illidan." She said.

"Yes." He answered.

"He is a monster. He should have been killed ages ago."

"Yeah, you made that part clear." He retorted and sipped his drink. " I want to know what is in your head now."

"A lot. I find hard to accept this. He living freely like this." She admitted. "You said you were where I am now. Tell me your tale, commander. "

Raynor sighed.  
  
"You know...This party is hosted to one of my best friends. We went through hell together. And then, the Queen of Blades killed him. Right in front of me." Raynor told. "I swore to kill her that day."  
  
"Swering to hunt down a monster, I can relate to that." She added, sipping her whisky.  
  
"Yeah." He answered. "I still have the gun with a bullet to put in her chest. When she appeared here I didn't shot her. I don't regret it. I fight her at the battlefield, but when I get back home I just go live my life. That's what I wished you to do too."  
  
"My life is my hunt." She answered sadly. "I guarded his cell for ten thousand years."  
  
"So, for your sake. You better find a new life." He gave her a warm look.

"I don't agree completely with that. But I will consider what you are telling me, Raynor." She told him earnestly.

He smiled to her. "That's more than I hoped for. I'll drink to that." He said while pouring more whisky in his glass.  
  
Then, he heard a deep and familiar voice, with that solemn way of speaking that only the protoss had. The honour guests had just arrived.

 


	7. Protoss

Artanis always found a way to politely avoid Raynor's parties. Zeraltul warned him that those occasions could be too much of a cultural shock for the common Aiur protoss to handle.

But this time the terran and Tassadar insisted so much that he decided to give it a chance. The Hierarch polished his armor with prime and his garments were impeccably clean. He was ready to go to the reception of his friend. The only problem was that the Tal'darim Highlord insisted to go with him.  
  
"Could you please stop following me?" Artanis started. "You were not invited to this ceremony."  
  
"Oh, please. I can hardly call a congregation of those lowly creatures a ceremony. I do not require their permission to be anywhere." Alarak retorted. "Also, we are going to meet a new protoss in this realm. How could I not be present?"  
  
"Fine. I will take you with me, but _do not insult our hosts_." Artanis warned.  
  
"I will try." Alarak answered smugly.  
  
"Good." Artanis stated. He knew that was the best the Highlord could do.

Both protoss went inside the Command center. It was full of various types of creatures that could be found in the nexus. They mostly were near their own kind, but it was still impressive that Raynor could be reunite such a variety of friends.  
They were received by a extremely excited Tassadar.  
  
"We waited for your arrival, my pupil!" The high templar exclaimed. "I am so happy that you decided to come."  
  
The executor then hugged the younger templar. Artanis froze in his place. Physical contact was rare among the Khalai, and hugs were more of a terran thing. He could feel his master happiness and thrill, but he could not understand the intensity of it. The Hierarch stared awkwardly at Zeratul that was in front of them. The dark prelate made a dismissive gesture. Raynor laughed at his side.  
  
"I told you to not give him alcohol again, Raynor." Zeratul nagged.  
  
"Frosty, man." Raynor retorted. "It is good for him to loosen up like this. Look how happy Tass is."  
  
"If he pass out, I am leaving him at your doorstep. I will not going to carry him home _again_." Zeratul warned.  
  
"If he gets wasted, I'll help. It's a promise." Raynor answered. "Artanis! How my favorite Hierarch is doing?"  
  
"A bit awkward, but in general doing quite well." Artanis answered politely.

"I see that you brought your friend."  Raynor added.

"Yes, he asked to come with me. But you have my word: if he become an inconvenience of any sort, I will put him out of here myself." Artanis told the terran privately.

"I like to think that we won't need that much." Raynor chuckled.

The Hierarch then turned to the Dark Templar. "What happened to Tassadar?"  
  
"Like many things involving terrans, the answer is alcohol." Zeratul explained.  
  
"And you should try it." Raynor stated. "We studied a bit and now we can have you guys drinking with us."  
  
Artanis had no idea how that would work. They could not drink... or ingest anything. Then, he noticed that both protoss had bandages on their right arms, from the elbow to the wrist. Tassadar grabbed the Hierarch arm and pulled him to the bar.  
  
"At first, I was skeptical about this terran habit, but now I see how pleasurable it can be." Tassadar told Artanis.  
  
"In moderation." Zeratul added.  
  
Alarak was unnaturally silent. Well, he was used to terrazine, no terran drug was as effective as that. However, the Highlord was eager to try it anyway. He patiently followed the others to the bar. The small siege tank driver was there.  
  
"Look what we got here. More protoss. So, how can I help you, sir?" She happily asked the Hierarch.  
  
"They wish to experiment the beverages." Tassadar stated.  
  
The woman laughed. "Ok. You gonna have to wrap this around your arm." She handed them cotton bandages. "Then, we will pour whatever you want over it. What to you feel like having today?"  
  
"I do not know. I never used this alcohol of yours." Artanis informed. "But if you are going to serve me something, I preferred what Zeratul is having."  
  
"Just to make it clear, he and Tass are having the same thing. The dose makes a lot of difference." She said, while handing him a bottle with a transparent liquid. Floating inside it, there were some fruits that he never saw. She noticed his curiosity and added: "We noticed you guy love to smell sweet things, so we put some fruits in it. Have fun."

Artanis took the bottle and went back to Zeratul and Raynor.  
  
Hammer then faced the Tal'darim, that looked at her with clear disgust. But that was how he looked at any terran. She sighed.

"You know. I feel like if I don't give you the fanciest shot I have here, you will throw it at my face. So have it, it's yours." She said while handling him the bottle of the most expensive wine she ever saw. 

"I am actually impressed. I was almost thought lack of common sense was part of your species traits." He answered amused.

He took off his gauntlet and was cautiously wrapping the bandage on his arm. When he was called out.

"Alarak! What a surprise! I was not expecting to see you here" Alexstrasza began.

Alarak faced the dragoness. "I am surprised myself to be among these creatures." He said disgusted. "But one of my kind is coming, and I am rather curious to know who it is."  
  
"I will never understand this hostility of yours against others forms of life." She confessed with a sad smile. "If you give them the chance, you might find their company rather amusing. May I have a glass of your wine?"  
  
He poured a bit of the wine on her glass, then on his arm. The liquid was transparent and pink, it stung a little, then he felt his skin getting hot. A different sensation than anything that he was used to.  
  
"What do you think of it?" She asked.  
  
"Hmm. Acceptable." The Highlord answered. "It has a pleasant smell, but I do not feel anything different."  
  
The dragoness hummed to his response. Alarak noticed that a terran took some interest at Alexstrasza.  
  
"Do you know that creature?" He asked her, while pointing at the terran.  
  
The man was taken off guard to be discovered by the protoss, but he stayed in place. When Alexstrasza turned to face him, she gave an earnestly smile.  
  
"Oh, my! Good evening, Hanzo!" She greeted happily. Before he could answer, she asked. "Who is your friend? "  
  
Alarak noticed that some kind of machine followed the archer. Hanzo looked like he was not pleased to see it.  
  
"Good evening. It is an honor to finally meet you, Life Binder. I am Genji Shimada." The cyborg answered happily. "I'm thank you for taking care of my brother so earnestly."  
  
"I see. It is a pleasure to meet you too, Genji." The dragoness answered warmly. "Your brother is an honorable and noble man."  
  
Alarak narrowed his eyes. "Are you some kind of terran version of the Purifiers? You two look nothing alike."  
  
Genji chucked. "I'm a cyborg. I had to replace great part of my body with mechanical parts."  
  
Alexstraza looked at him concerned. "I cannot imagine the horror you must have faced, young warrior."  
  
"Yes. You never expect your brother to try to murder you."  
  
"Your brother? The one that is right beside you?" Alarak asked curiously.  
  
"Yep." Genji answered honestly.  
  
The dragoness eyes widened in horror.  
  
"You are taking things completely out of context!" Hanzo intervened.  
  
"Oh, sorry." Genji said, his hand slightly bumping on his forehead, gesturing like he just forgot something. " You never expect that not wanting to make part of your family illegal business, would make your brother try to murder you."  
  
Alexstrasza put a hand on her chest and looked angrily at the archer. "How could you commit such horror?"  
  
"This is why nobody likes you." Hanzo grunted at his brother.  
  
Alarak laughed. "You were right, Dragon Queen! They sure can be amusing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally...  
> I posted it.  
> The last bit was heavily influenced by a Overwatch fancomic that I saw ages ago.  
> If anyone knows it, please tell me!


	8. Chapter 8

Alarak was still laughing when he reached the table where Zeratul, Artanis and Raynor were.  
  
"Hey. I don't wanna you guys wearing these serious faces today. Everyone's having fun, look at Tass. Wait, where is he?" Jim asked.  
  
"Only the Gods may know." Zeratul answered. "He entered dimensional shift a while ago."  
  
Raynor hummed and looked around the room searching for his friend, but something got his attention for a moment.  
  
"Not on my watch, bitchboy." He angrily blurted. Then turned to the protoss on his side. "Boys, I'm gonna have to go upstairs real quick. A friend needs me." He said before leaving.

Alarak sat by the Hierarch side, Artanis found the Highlord to be in a oddly good mood.  
  
"Shouldn't you be searching for your Master, Artanis?" Alarak began, obviously mocking. " I would not want the drunk Savior of the Templar embarrassing our species."  
  
"Watch your words Tal'darim." Artanis warned. "He will return eventually."  
  
And indeed he did, but not alone. The high templar brought a juvenile terran female with him. Artanis never saw that girl, nor he could imagine why she was so visibly excited, she tried to hide her smile while approaching them. Artanis almost probed her mind, like he would do to one of his kin. But he remembered how other creatures, specially humans, disliked this telepathic inspection. They somehow found it intruding.  
  
"Friends! I found this terran youngling that claims to know us!" Tassadar stated enthusiastically.  
  
"I never saw this creature in my entire life." The Highlord said dryly.  
  
"Go, child. Introduce yourself." Tassadar added ignoring Alarak's comment.  
  
"Hello... I mean... _En taro_ Adun." She started nervously. "I'm Hana Song, but everyone calls me D.Va." She stopped for a moment. "I…really wanted to meet you all. I dreamed about talking to you guys so many times. Artanis, you are like my childhood hero."  
  
"I cannot imagine what I could have done to exert such admiration in you, young terran." Artanis answered calmly.  
  
"From where I come from everyone know your stories. I was basically raised knowing them." She blurted, her eyes watering. "This is a dream coming truth. I wanted to ask you so many things."  
  
"You can do that now, child." Zeratul grabbed a chair for her, then asked. "What you ask of us?"  
  
That phrase alone made D.Va almost faint of fangirling.  
"Seriously, so many things...I'm still not believing." She blurted, while seating between Tassadar and the Dark Prelate. "I don’t know… Like how did things go when you two met? It was like the first time Nerazim and Aiur protoss truly met after they left Aiur.”  
  
“We had small disagreements at first, but in we are one people.” Tassadar told. “I kindly gave Zeratul the chance to mend the reputation of the Dark Templars and we worked together easily.”

“I remember that day quite differently, friend." Zeratul said humorously. "I remember you swearing and attacking me quite intensely.” 

“I have no memory of that.” Tassadar answered bluntly.

“I had to put you into stasis two times even after you said you would listen to me.” Zeratul added.  
  
"That must have been an awesome fight!" D.va chuckled. “Ooh!I have another one! Why did you look so different during the Brood war, Artanis?"  
  
Artanis looked down at the table, his skin mottling with embarrassment, he took his drink and poured more on his arm. Tassadar and Zeratul laughed softly.   
  
"What did he looked like?" Alarak asked curiously.  
  
"Like he had not yet reached adulthood." Zeratul explained humorously. "His nerve chords were so short that I sometimes mistook him with my warriors."  
  
"He was so thin." Tassadar added. "From all my students I never had such a late bloomer, he was at his 270's and looked like he did not even had 200. I almost did not believed when I saw him here."

Alarak laughed. "I would trade crates of pure jorium to get to see that."  
  
"I have some pictures in my phone." D.Va offered.  
  
"Please, do not show him!" Artanis pleaded.  
  
"So, that was like your embarrassing teenager years?" She asked Artanis, while putting down her phone. "How did you change so fast?"   
  
"At the time, I received a lot of responsibilities. That eventually made me mature." Artanis admitted. "And, as you terrans say, 'I hit the gym... hard.'"  
  
"I never thought you guys cared about appearance." D.Va said earnestly.

"Some do, some do not." Zeratul explained. "As you can see. I do not care much about my garments. However, Matriarch Raszagal was never seen without her beautiful dresses and ornaments."

"That made me remember something. But I am afraid that is going to be too personal and I don't want to be rude." The girl started.

"Any rudeness that comes from innocence is easily forgiven, young one." Zeratul informed.

"Are you Vorazun's father?" She asked The Dark Templar.

He faced her for a moment, probing her interest on the matter.

"The Matriarch chose to raise her daughter alone. And if anyone could be given that title, that would be Mohandar." Zeratul answered. "He and the Matriarch were close friends. So eventually their families grew together. Their younglings were as close as true brothers."

"I see..." D.Va said, a bit frustrated. He did not answered she wanted, but she did not want to be too nosy.

"This child told me something really amusing. That the some terrans like to make art about us!" Tassadar started happily.

"Ah! We call them fanarts, there are drawings, paintings, sculptures, stories..."  D.va commented. "Some are super cool and others... are interesting in some way."

"Those silly beings write fictional stories about of us!" Tassadar continued. "They write romances, like pairing our people in couples."

"Couples?" Alarak asked.

"Amorous monogamic relationships that terrans form." Tassadar explained. "Some stay together their whole lives. Like kakapos."

"So, they project their relationship ideals unto us..." Artanis commented curious. 

"We call them ships! What about she see which one of you is the more famous?" They nodded at her amused. She searched at her phone. "It is Artanis!"

Artanis laughed softly. "It is understandable. I have a lot of prominent females as close friends. With who is my most written ship?"

Hana touched a button and looked a bit embarrassed. "With Alarak...and by a long shot."

"Absolutely disgusting." Alarak commented on a monotone.

Artanis' face was one of pure disappointment and sadness. Hana pitied the Hierarch, nobody deserved to be paired with such salty partner. "I don't know if it makes anything better, but I always hated that ship."

"Thank you." Artanis answered feeling a little less desolate.

Zeratul noticed by the corner of his eye Raynor and his convict friend appearing from upstairs. Jim looked toward them and almost ran to reach the table. 

"No, no, no, no. Get this phone out of here. You ain't gonna traumatize the protoss too." He started.

"It's not my fault that you looked up Queen of Blades with the SafeSearch off." The girl mocked.

That's it, little girl! Confiscated." Raynor stated, while taking the cellphone away. "Zarya!"

A pink haired woman that was drinking at the bar turned to face the commander. "What did that Gremlin do this time?" She asked humorously.

"Please, just keep this from her." He answered while throwing the device to her. The woman caught it mid air and laughed.

"This is so unfair!" D.Va protested. She got up and went after Zarya to try to get her phone back. "I thought you were cooler, Jim."

Raynor sighed, approaching the table.

"She didn't show you anything weird, did she?" He asked.

"No. Although she did say some odd things." Artanis answered. 

"Could you help your friend, Raynor?" Tassadar asked.

"She kind of wasn't in danger." Raynor explained. "She was drunk and I saw a guy taking her upstairs. But he was just taking her to the infirmary."

"Better safe than sorry." Tychus added.

"What a interesting saying." Tassadar commented thoughtfully. Then, his eyes flew open as he felt a new presence within their so limited Khala. Artanis felt it a moment later. They welcomed Fenix presence as a blessing, sharing their happiness. "Fenix is coming now."

Of course, neither of other protoss or the terrans that were with felt that. To them, Artanis and Tassadar were happily looking at nothing with little dots of energy flooding the corner of their eyes.

  
"Fenix? He is the hero?" Alarak asked annoyed.   
  
"I can not think of a more fitting hero." Artanis stated. "Fenix is one of the most noble and courageous protoss that I met. And there is no other warrior I would want to meet after everything that happened."

 "Really? not even a female?" Alarak asked with jester. 

"Why would a female come here?" Tassadar asked. "There are no female Templars."

"What about Selendis?" Raynor asked.

"Who?" Tassadar asked again.

"A lot of things changed after The Khalai left Aiur, friend." Artanis informed.

"Nonetheless, I do not wish to see any of my proud and noble sisters here, to live in this constant torment that is the coexistence with you." Zeratul told the Highlord.

  
Alarak narrowed his eyes, however before he could answer Tychus intervened.  
  
"I see myself obligated to agree with the Sith Lord here."  
  
"Highlord." Alarak corrected.  
  
"Don't you guys wanted to meet a girl toss? You know give some smooches and get physical?"  
  
"I don't like where this is going." Raynor commented.  
   
The four protoss faced the alien completely confused. They quickly confirmed with each other that they had heard it correctly, it was just that they had no idea of what he meant.

"So, you guys don't have sex?" Tychus added.

"What a barbaric practice. The Khala provides all comfort and closeness that we need." Tassadar stated.

"Sometimes. More when I was younger." Zeratul answered honestly.

"I didn't need that information." Raynor added.

"Well that explains a hell lot of things." Tychus added.

"Well, I came here to know who was coming. And now I do." Alarak stated while standing up. "My disappointment is immeasurable and my night is ruined."

Noticing he forgot his bottle, the Highlord used his telekinesis to bring the wine towards him and left the building.

"Edgelord." Tychus commented.

After a moment, Artanis and Tassadar stood up. Not because they would leave but because they knew the door was about to open.  
  
"I have returned! " Fenix claimed happily as soon as he entered the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When your friends start to roast you in front of an alien juvenile.
> 
>  
> 
> https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D2L46ZUVYAA0vcv?format=jpg&name=small
> 
> Great artwork from the Alarak of the Storm Twitter.


	9. Chapter 9

Zeratul felt the cold of the night on his face. It did not bother the Nerazim, in fact, it helped to uncloud his mind.  
  
The Dark Prelate was the first of his kind to arrive at the Nexus, and was the one who more easily accepted it. As he was certain that it was a place of punishment, for him to attorn for his crimes. But then Tassadar appeared.  
  
There was no way that Tassadar could be there to be punished. He was the Savior of the Templar, and yet he was there. The Executor was overjoyed to see his friend again, but was also sad for being alone in his mind. With only Zeratul as company, there was no one to share the Khala.  
  
The old Dark Templar looked at their path, the lifeless terran platform that now was their home. The other protoss couldn't understand why he chose that realm to live, the truth was that Zeratul let Chromie decide, it did not mattered to him.  
  
The blue war beast under him trotted swiftly on the terrain. Despite the name, it was a calm and gentle animal. He caressed its dorsal spines and it answered with a satisfied growl. Zeratul noticed the noise of Raynor vulture getting closer to him.

Fortunately, the terran honored his word and was helping to take their drunk friends back to their home. They managed to put the unconscious Tassadar on the back of Zeratul's mount while Artanis insisted that he able to get home riding his own war beast.

"You look better, friend." Raynor started. "The best since you got here."  
  
"To have the company of my friends once more is a blessing." Zeratul answered. "However..."  
  
"You still wanna see her..."  
  
"Yes. But I know she will not be summoned here, she always was a leader and a diplomat more than a warrior."  
  
"Stop treating yourself like that, Zeratul." Raynor answered.  
  
"I know you say that with the best of the intentions, Raynor. But this burden cannot be easily lifted from one's soul." Then, the Dark Templar faced the terran.

"I know, man." Jim continued. " But you did everything you could. She was in peace. You know that. She wouldn't want to see you down like this."

"I noticed your actions, Raynor." The Nerazim interrupted.  
  
"Say again?" Jim asked.  
  
"I know that you are trying to reach the Queen of Blades." Zeratul answered directly in the terran mind.  
  
Raynor did not answer, not that he needed to,  Zeratul could clearly read his thoughts. Hope was a feeling that the Terrans were firmly attached to, even to the point of defying all logic and reason.  
  
"She is different, I feel it." Raynor finally answered. "Even if it is only in a skin, I don't know..."  
  
The commander sighed heavily and passed his hand through his hair.  
  
"It's just that... you have that skin that makes you get into the Khala, maybe she can get one that makes her human."  
  
"Yet I am still Dark Templar. I do not enjoy the feeling of the Khala, not earn for its touch. The _skin_ is merely a costume, it changes one appearance not its nature."  
  
They were interrupted by a purifier bean that cut through the night sky. It went straight to the zerg dens, burning all the creatures inside.

"I should have done that the first time I stepped here!" Artanis shouted. Then, the Hierarch faced his companions. "Friends! We should purge this realm of these foul creatures!"

"No, no one is invading Kerrigan's Hive cluster _again_." Raynor nagged.

* * *

When they arrived at their home, Zeratul dismounted from his war beast and began to try to lift the sleeping Tassadar to carry him.

The High Templar was quite unwillingly to move and mumbled in his sleep. "Shut up, Aldaris. You bitch."

Raynor let a muffled laugh, then stated. "I have no idea where he learned that."  
  
The Dark Prelate rolled his eyes and started to drag the Executor.  
  
They were welcomed by the sad cries of Probius. Artanis and Raynor followed the sound and found Alarak lazily seating on a chair reading on his datapad and using the poor probe as a footrest.  
  
"Why do you have to be such a dick?" Raynor inquired.  
  
The terran abruptly took the small robot away from the Tal'darim.  
  
"Artanis, your ape seems to be mumbling again. Please put a muzzle on it." The Highlord mocked.  
  
"Alarak! I will not tolerate your insults towards my friends!" Artanis warned.  
  
"Oh please, Artanis. We already had this discussion and the results are always the same." Alarak continued. "You will do nothing. You are just a brat pretending to be an authority."

"I had enough of you!" Artanis snapped.

"What are you going to do? Get me bored to death?"  
  
Suddenly, a chair flew and hit the wall, missing the Highlord's head for centimeters. Alarak had to duck behind a table as Artanis already had another chair in his hands. But the Tal'darim did not hide for long, he flipped the table and tried to land a strike at the Templar.  Artanis simply grabbed Alarak's hand and threw the Highlord on the wall. Then, the Hierarch jumped on his opponent and began to attack him with his bare hands.  
  
With the noise, Zeratul came running from his chamber.

"By the gods! What is happening here?"

"Oh boy! Now I know why you guys have these giant nails. You fight like cats, just scratching each other to shit." Raynor commented.  
Then, he grabbed the Dark Templar's wrist. "No, you are not going there. I know you gonna stop them."

"I cannot just let this barbarism happen!" Zeratul answered.

"Of course you can! This was a beating Alarak had been deserving for a long time." Raynor retorted.

The old protoss blinked across the room and put the two warriors in a Void Stasis.

"Next time, I'm leaving them _all_ at your doorstep." He told Raynor.

* * *

 

Fenix woke up to the beautiful view of a forest full trees with strange pink foliage. The only problem was that he had no idea where he was or how he had gotten there.

 

His head hurt and something was definitely wrong with his tank's water.

Suddenly, a female terran appeared in his visor. "Look what we got here..." She thought. 

She took a small yellow paper that was attached to the dragoon leg.

"My name is Fenix. If I'm outside, I'm lost. Please Return me to Raynor's Command Center at Braxis." She read.

She stared at the visor and began to tap it with her finger.

"Hey! Are you there?" The woman called.

"Stop tapping the visor." He answered immediately.

She let out a scream and jumped disappearing in thin air.

"Bloody hell. I'll never get used to this talking inside my head." She told him. "Fenix, right?"

"Yes."

"I'm Lena Oxton, but you can call me Tracer." She told him happily. "I guess you want to look inside my mind. Right?"  
  
Terrans usually did not want to have their mind inspected. Fenix only knew one that seemed not to care.  
He probed into her mind, he found out that Lena was just a curious young woman that was earnestly trying her best to help him.  
  
"Can you get this up?" She asked while tapping the dragoon's leg.  
  
"No. My head hurts and I need you to open the pilot compartment."  
  
"Ok, dear. Just tell me what to do." She answered.  
  
With Fenix instructions, Tracer swiftly opened the pilot compartments of the dragoon. She looked inside as he programmed it to dispose of the water.  
  
"You are all curled up in there!" She thought surprised.

Fenix could not help but be amused at her reaction. He looked up and met her gaze.

"Greetings terran." He answered friendly.

She noticed the water being drained. "Don't you need that to live? Should I get you more water?" she disappeared before he could answer and appeared back with a hose. 

"No. The water is just for my comfort, Friend Lena." Fenix stated.  


As she started to fill the tank with water again, the protoss noticed the melody that Tracer was making. 

"You sing." He stated.

"Oh. Sorry. Did I annoy you?" She asked. 

"No. I like your singing. It's way better than James Raynor. Please continue." He commented bemusedly.

She sang to him until the tank was full and she had to close it. When Fenix's dragoon was prepared to go, she happily guided him to Raynor's Command Center.

She stopped at its door.

"You are at your destination now." She told him feigning an adjutant voice. Then added happily. "Raynor is gonna be so happy to see you again."

"Thank you, friend Lena." He answered. "But he actually never saw me. Not as you did." 

She did not ask, but he read it in her mind.

"No, I cannot leave this machine." He answered to her unasked question. "Not without my life support. "

He expected her to pity him, but he saw her understanding. Reading her thoughts, Fenix noticed that the source of her empathy for him was because, she also was bound to a machine.

"Is there no way?" She murmured sadly.

"Maybe there is...if you want to help me. We could try." Fenix replied.

She gave him an earnest and bright smile.

Almost an hour later, a drowsy Raynor heard Tracer calling him at the door. He opened the door and found Lena holding two heavy golden machines, connected to long black tubes. His gaze followed the tubes until its origin: a protoss he never saw before.

"En taro Adun, friend Raynor." Fenix greeted. "We meet each other at last."  


"Fenix..." Raynor gasped in awe.

The protoss held out his hand as he saw the terrans doing in greetings. 

"If you two do not even hug each other, I'll beat you both." Tracer hissed while trying her hardest to hold the machines.

Raynor laughed and hugged Fenix tightly, the protoss answered the gesture, curling over and squeezing the small terran. They did not have much time for the gesture of affection, since Lena was almost falling under the weight of the machines.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With this we finish the Protoss Chapters.
> 
> Sorry for the delay.
> 
> Next chapters we will see how the Swarm is doing.


	10. Zerg

_The earth trembled with the explosions. Siege tanks, goliaths, banshees, they even brought battlecruisers._

_Zagara had never seen that many Terrans in her life. However, she knew their efforts were futile, as most Terran's efforts were. They tried to invade Char before when the Swarm was in a more unstable situation and failed. They would surely fail again._

_Suddenly, the broodmother felt a whole colony disappear. The explosion could be heard from the whole planet. The Terrans were attacking the Queen's infested platform. Zagara could never allow it to fall._

_She tried to rally the platform's defenses and even send her own Leviathan to scour the Terrans. But it was not enough._

_Deeply in frustration, Zagara felt her leviathan die and soon after the whole platform collapsed. With it, dozens of Brood War spires, structures older than herself were now destroyed. The queen would not be pleased._

_That was a big defeat. All their corruptors, scourge, broodlords and the most estimated Queen's mutalisks were gone._

_The Terrans had already assembled the Xel'naga artifact. Zagara did not know much about the device except that it burned zerg's flesh and that her Queen wanted it destroyed. Zagara did what was possible, spawning as many Nydus worms as she could. Then, she noticed her queen had just returned from a failed attack._

_When Zagara approached the Queen, she was speaking with the creature Abathur._

_"Unclear. Evolution Master's place is within Hive Clusters. Not in space." The creature nagged._

_"Abathur, you will leave in my Leviathan. You are the most useful individual of the Swarm. I will not let the Terrans take you." The Queen retorted._

_He blinked his eyes slowly, pleased with the Queen's praise. Then, turned to enter the leviathan._

_"Understood. Survival imperative. Must evacuate Char." He stated while leaving._

_Then, the queen turned her attention to Zagara._

_"Why are you making him leave, my queen?" Zagara asked. "The Terrans are weak. The Swarm will endure this assault."_

_"The Swarm will endure. But I will not." She answered._

_Zagara faced her Queen, confused._

_"Broodmothers, listen to me." The Queen of Blades started. "Take the core of your broods back to you and scatter yourselves through the sector."_

_"What? That makes no sense!" The broodmother protested. "We need those underlings, my Queen!"_

_"Zagara, the time is almost over. If I am going down at least the Swarm has to survive. The Overmind foretold that war is coming."_

_"Why are you talking about the late Overmind? It is dead. It is no threat to us." Zagara cried out._

_"Zagara!"_

_The broodmother shivered with the strength of the Queen of Blades words._

_"The UED tried to control the Swarm before. The Dominion might try the same thing. Do not let the Terrans control you. Do you hear me?"_

_"Yes, my Queen." The broodmother answered, defeated._

_"If you want to leave Char, do it now. Take my leviathan."_

_Zagara faced the Queen, not hiding her blatant surprise and confusion. She knew that the Queen of Blades was not a selfless leader, she could not understand her sudden worry with the broodmother's safety. She thought about the Queen's offer b ut found it better to refuse it. Char was rich in resources and with the conditions harsh enough to drive the constant evolution that the zerg craved. Zagara knew that the Swarm needed that planet if they were to rebuild their numbers after that battle._

_"No. Char is the homeworld of the Swarm. I will not see it be taken by the Terrans."_

_"Fine. So take your brood and go as far as you can from here, hide in the deepest caves you know." The Queen of blades instructed. And, as Zagara turned away to leave, she added. "Also...The Swarm survives best with just one leader. You know that, so do your sisters. Be prepared to fight them when the time comes."_

_"Does she believes I would be a better queen than my sisters?" Zagara wondered while leaving the primary hive clusters._

_As the broodmother rallied her underlings to safety, she felt as her sisters made their decisions. They all were trying to solve the same problems._

_Where should we hide?_

_How many underlings should send to battle?_

_Which ones should we spare?_

_In the middle of her calculations, Zagara heard the despair of the youngest broodmother, Naktul._

_"Please, Zagara. You are the only one with the Queen now. Dissuade her of this decision." Naktul pleaded._

_"Our job is not to discuss but to obey. You know that, sister." Zagara retorted. "You should believe in our queen decision. She had never failed the Swarm."_

_Zagara entered the deep and hot underground tunnels. Dozens of drones followed her and only a handful of hunter-killers and zerglings for her protection. Most of her brood would fight until the end by the Queen's side._

_As she tried to shake off useless worries, another broodmother contacted her._

_"I sent almost all my brood to the Queen, I am exposed here." Nafash stated, seriously. "Zagara, no matter the outcome of this battle as soon as my brood is strong enough I will return to Char. Try not to die until I arrive."_

_"I say the same to you, Nafash." Zagara replied._

T _he cavern's stalagmites trembled with the impact of the explosions outside, but it was no threat for_ the brood _below. Zagara sat on a corner of the cavern, feeling the tension of her minions. Some drones ran to her, cuddling against her legs and hiding under her abdomen._

_Zagara was also starting to feel insecure. What if the Queen perished? Would the whole Swarm suffer the same fate? No. That was impossible. All who stood against the Swarm always perished. Zerg always found a way to survive. The Swarm is eternal._

_Then, it came._

_The silence._

_All zerg on the surface died. Burn by the artifact._

_The Queen was gone._

_She was alone._

 

* * *

Zagara woke up with a hard slap in her face. She looked around lost with the sudden aggression and found Abathur staring at her.

"Danger incoming. Relocation advised." He stated before digging a tunnel.

Then, Zagara noticed the unmistakable sound of a Purifier Bean getting closer. Stumbling on her legs, she left the spawning pool and dashed out of the Hive.

As soon as she left the structure, the laser hit it. Cutting through its skin and flesh until it finally collapsed. The hive exploded in a mass off creep, blood and various enzymatic liquids that covered both Abathur and Zagara.

Upon seeing her home destroyed again. The broodmother let out a cried hiss that chilled the spine of heroes across the realms. She continued to throw a fit, growling, hissing, flexing her claws and stomping her feet on the soft ground. She wanted to kill the protoss, tear each one of their limbs, crush their bones until a zergling would not even need to chew them to eat.

While the broodmother was distracted, Abathur examined the destroyed hive and noticed a plump chrysalis. It squirmed up and down as the new hatchery was to emerge. Without longer ado, Abathur tore the membrane and seized the drone within.

"Interesting." Abathur stated as the drone squirmed in his claws.

The small worker protested with a low growl. Upon hearing the sound of a distressed drone, Zagara immediately forgot her anger and went to the Evolution Master's side. They indeed had found something interesting.

 

* * *

Like many of her nights, Kerrigan had trouble sleeping. Now the Queen of Blades walked aimlessly through the Braxis. She knew Fenix had arrived. At that time he should already be at Raynor's party. She could not help but wonder how Raynor would behave from now on.

"Would this reunion make him hate me again?" She thought. "After all, it was because of him that he vowed to kill me. Why am I wasting my night with these useless thoughts?"

She continued to wander without paying attention to her surroundings.

"Finally you showed your face, Queen of Blades!" A protoss voice appeared in her head.

Kerrigan looked around in search of who speaking with her but she found nothing. The voice sounded a lot like Fenix's and he wasn't a dark templar. He had to be somewhere.

"We have much to settle, you foul abomination!" Fenix continued.

Kerrigan saw a slight golden shine in the distance and squinted her eyes, trying to see it better. A blue light appeared.

"What the f..." She started.

When the Queen came to herself, she was on the ground covered in dust and soot and Fenix was gone. Kerrigan decided that she had enough for the night and headed home. She imagined that she would go straight to her spawning pool and sleep, but was surprised with her home in shambles.

"What the hell happened here?" Kerrigan started. "Please tell it was not the protoss."

"Indeed my Queen, they dared to attack us again!" Zagara answered angrily. "But it was their mistake, because of them we found something extremely valuable."

"Cloning process successful." Abathur began while bringing two drones in his hands. "Drones ready for commands."

Kerrigan faced the creatures wide-eyed. She never thought she would have a drone under her control again.

"Can you clone more of them?" She inquired the slug.

"Yes." The evolution master replied. "Process slower than usual, but can be replicated."

She quickly commanded one to transform into a hatchery. It mutated into a lair and then into a hive again. Unfortunately, it still was sterile. 

"I was sure it would work this time." The broodmother muttered sadly.

"Abathur, make more drones." Kerrigan demanded while entering the hive. "In the morning we see how we are going to answer to the protoss."

"Why, my queen?" Zagara asked. "We cannot attack their base with just drones."

"I once destroyed a terran laboratory just with drones. I'm sure we can win against some hungover protoss." Kerrigan answered with humor. 

The Queen was about to enter the spawning pool to sleep when she noticed someone arriving at her home. Zagara hissed and took an aggressive stance.

"Easy, girl." Stukov greeted the zerg while taking off his mask. " It is just me."

"She isn't a dog, Alexei." Kerrigan stated and sunk into the enzymatic liquid.

"I know. But somehow she reminds me of one." He retorted with humor.

"I was going to ask how the party went, but I can see that I went great for you." Kerrigan jested and indicated the edge of her lip with a finger. "Seems like everyone is finding a sweetheart, except me."

Stukov finally noticed the obvious lipstick mark on the corner of his mouth.

"It was only a kiss on the cheek. She just miscalculated a bit." Stukov tried to explain while cleaning it. 

"Who was it?" The queen asked 

"Shouldn't you two young ladies be sleeping by now?" He asked, trying to change the topic. "It is quite late now."

"I am not sleepy yet." Kerrigan stated, cuddling against Zagara's abdomen. The broodmother was already asleep. "And you don't sleep anyway. We have all the time we want to talk."

"Thank you for the offer. But I want to rest for now." The infested admiral replied while sitting against the hive's wall.

"I could easily rip out this information from your mind. But sooner or later you will tell me who your girlfriend is." Kerrigan joked. 

"I appreciate your gesture but she is not my girlfriend." He retorted.

"Why? You don't like her?"

"No, quite the opposite. She is beautiful, interesting and I really like her company. But..." Stukov confessed, running his hand over his ruined face.

"But?"

"I will not read too much into this. She may sympathize with me, but I'm sure there is not a romantic interest. I am not naive to keep my hopes up." 

He did not say it, but Kerrigan knew what he was trying to explain. The infestation. It was disgusting, she knew that. Every time she saw her reflection she thought that. And she still was had it better than Stukov. 

With the talk going to a path she did not want to indulge, Kerrigan simply rolled to the other side and tried to sleep.


End file.
